Monday, August 1, 2011

SIX DEGREES

When Steve an Marina asked me to create a drought tolerant garden for their Craftsman home, I was a bit reluctant. I was slowly recovering from
an excruciating experience with a previous client that shook my creative core. The other fact was that Steve and Marina were my friends, what if something went wrong? Clearly, I was a bit wobbly at the thought.

My mother was the instrumental part of the whole process. During those times, the woman was not "in charge", so my father's name was upfront.
My parents purchased the house on 92nd street in the late 30's. They later moved into the house. They had friends, the Owens that lived across the street. They later found out about the covenance. They started trying to fight it. They went to the NAACP, but they would not take my parents case. My mother then began to fight on her own. In the middle of the fight, she became pregnant with me. She already had two sons, 9 and 10 and here she was in the middle of everything...pregnant. It was too much for her and she broke under the pressure. She went to stay with the mother in Fresno, for support. My grandmother was a very strong woman. She borne 11 children, 10 were girls, two (twins) died when they were young, so she raised these warrior women. My mother regained her strength and continued the fight.

I was born in 1942, at home, by an African American female doctor who came to our house with her nurse and finished cooking my mother's beans that she started for dinner! Two years later, in 1944, we lost the case and found 30th street.

During that time, there was a very popular movie called, "The House on 92nd Street" and the newspapers ran an article about the law case with the title,"The House on 92nd Street".

We moved into the house on 30th Street in 1944, it was really in good shape. It wasn't a fixer upper. My mother and brothers changed the kitchen flooring and painted the interior wood. My mother thought all of that dark wood was too much. They did some other cosmetic type changes like most people. My father was into the garden, so he did a lot of planting, etc.

It was wonderful growing up in such a diverse neighborhood. We never had to lock doors, we could sleep with our windows open. I would visit our neighbors that lived on our street at the early age of four and my parents didn't have to worry. I remember the freedom of it all.

She adds, "Thank you for your interest and your work and for coming into my life.

Pat Lofton Brown

Patricia Lofton age 4 with a neighbor

June /2011, Patricia Lofton receives an email from a friend about the West Adams Garden. Pat says she was so surprised to see her childhood home in the paper!! It brought back so many memories which she wanted to share with Steve and Marina (current owners) and myself! After a flurry of emails and phone conversations a tentative plan was set for all of us to meet for lunch! This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of sharing a delightful lunch with Ms. Lofton, one of her childhood friends and my dear friends Steve and Marina. I mean, how cool is that?

I feel as though I’ve met a kindred spirit, and master gardener! Pat has a small herb farm in Sacramento! You see how life works??

OLD SCHOOL BRAND LAUNDRY SOAP

A passed down tradition! A little goes a long way! No bubbles, no dyes, no lye! EARTH FRIENDLY

Hard Working laundry soap that cuts to the chase of clean!!

My soap is concentrated which requires less packaging, less water and less energy! Old School Brand is amazing for hand washing, all machines and all temperatures!
One bag is $10.00 for up to 32 loads of laundry!
Now go ahead and hang your laundry out to dry, feel the Old School freshness that will bring back memories of a slower paced lifestyle.
Thank you for choosing Old School Brand!

Renee's take on design...

Inspired by Emma Goldman's quote, "I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck", I founded Urbanscapes a landscape design company in 1996 servicing the Los Angeles area.
My specialty is drought tolerant gardens. I have always thought L.A. to be a desert thus creating gardens that thrive in our arid landscape. With each project my goal is to create master plans utilizing my reduce, reuse and recycle philosophy of conservation.
Since the formation of Urbanscapes I have created a few other sustainable design concepts, Rumplesacs, a reusable shopping bag line, Reconstruction, a found objects jewelry line, and of course Old School Brand Laundry Soap, an amazing laundry soap that really get's your clothes refreshingly clean with no junk added!
These projects are but a few ways I give back to community.
**************************
Please do not reproduce any of the words or pictures on this blog without my permission. All rights are reserved.
Copyright 2011